Born of War
by Vesuvio
Summary: After 10 years of absence, Uzumaki Naruto returns with his sensei to an unchanged Konoha. How will the appearance of a drastically changed Naruto affect the resident's lives? SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakaOC. Rated for sex, violence, and indiscriminate swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Prologue**

****

_10 years..._

Uzumaki Naruto looked on fondly as the residents of Konoha bustled around. He was 29 today. 10 years since the events that had turned his life on end.

He smiled bitterly. He realised now how foolish he had been. Melodrama was not a very appealing quality, and it was one that he had posessed in exponential amounts when he was young.

But that was in the past. He was a man now. Well, what could pass for a man, anyway. Naruto rubbed the dark red indents on his forhead that marked him as a host. The mark was a 'V', just between his brows, with two lines curling up from the centre. He sighed a little. He would have to cover it up somehow. While noone would really recognise him, the mark was still noticable and outlandish looking. It wouldn't do for people to take a special interest in him.

Realistically, without his orange clothes and his hitai-ate, nobody would probably make any connection between Uzumaki Naruto and the scarred, wild-looking warrior before them.

He looked at the sun. It was nearing dusk and he didn't want to risk sleeping outside, incase any of the resisdent shadow-jockeys came across him and decided to play hero. God forbid an older Konohamaru find him. He groaned at the images that brought up. Though he had some painful memories of Konoha, he was not afraid of the pain. He had been through it many times until the sting had left it.

Except for him...but no. He couldn't think of that now.

"Um...Hellooo? Can we stop being all moody-broody and go get a room? My BUTT is NUMB and that is SONOTRIGHT."

Naruto came back to the present and grinned down at his sensei. Supposedly. She was currently hopping from foot to foot, her currently whit hair bouncing with her.

"Oki!" he said, before strolling briskly down the hill. Now he was even talking like her..

"Thanks...hey, wait! Uzumaki, you bastard, get back here with my smokes! Hey!"

Half way down the hill, Naruto replied with laughter. Screw the past, all the mattered was the present. And, at present, all was right with the world.

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In three seperate parts of the village, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura looked up. They had felt a distinctly familiar chakra, a chakra they had not felt in years.Only this time it wasn't buzzing in their ears.

It was roaring.

TBC...

R&R, please!

Vesuvio


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter One: Of Sex and Alcohol and other Joyful Things.**

The Ninja's Waypoint was a quiet, dimly lit place. The bar took up the whole of the left-hand wall, and in the back corner there was an old piano. Quite a contrast to it's two newest patrons. The barman looked up as loud voices travelled through the door.

"This looks nice! Let's go in here, Saru-chan!"

A short, lean woman with unnaturally white hair bounced through the door and up to the bar.

"Hi! I'll have a pint of the house beer, please!" she said, tossing coins onto the bar. A tall man with shoulder-length blond hair and a scar down the right side of his face followed more sedately behind her.

"Loki-sensei..." he started.

"Enough with the sensei! I'm not that old! Oh, and..." she caught the barman's eye as he put her beer down."The same for the monkey over there; god knows he needs it." The barman nodded and moved for another glass.

Naruto, the 'monkey', shook his head as Loki went back to nursing her beer.

"Five minutes in civilisation and she's already got a beer. It's like bar auto-gravitation. Her inner radar finds a bar and away she gravitates..." He pulled up a stool next to his sensei and accepted a beer from the barman.

"Sooo..." said Loki.

"Yeah..." replied Naruto. He opened his mouth to continue, but was interrupted by the bar door banging open again. The pair looked up at the entering trio. Naruto's eyes widened slightly.

Noticing the look on Naruto's face, Loki took his hand and inconspiuously moved them to a table near the back.

"Who're they, then, and why do you look like you're about to kill something?" she asked, letting go.

"Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura." He gritted out. Loki nodded slightly in recognition.

"_That_ Sasuke?"

"_That_ Sasuke."

Loki nodded again.

"He'll be the one with the uber-hair, then?" Naruto gave a noise of assent.

"Ah..." said Loki. Then she looked pensive for a moment. "That Sakura has a _nice _arse." Naruto turned to look at Loki, unsurprised.

"She's a bitch."

"But still. I wouldn't mind getting her in the sack." Naruto shook his head.

"Maa...you're unbelievable sometimes, you know? And I thought you'd prefer Kakashi. He's more your type."

"He is?"

"He reads perverted fiction."

"...oh. I see what you mean."

Naruto chuckled slightly and then resumed his careful watching of the trio at the bar.

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"Don't look now, but that couple in the corner are staring at us!" Sakura whispered frantically. Kakashi and Sasuke both turned to look. "I said don't look!"

"Baka." said Sasuke "Stop panicking. You're attracting attention." Kakashi nodded sagely.

Sakura glared slightly at Sasuke before turning to Kakashi.

"What did you want to talk to us about, Kakashi-sensei?" she asked. Sasuke answered instead.

"You felt it as well, didn't you? _His_ chakra." Sakura gasped and looked at Kakashi.

"Yes. It was brief, but I felt it swell for a minute before disappearing. It was unmistakable."

Sakura looked thoughtful for a minute. "He must have found some way to control the Kyuubi. Or merged with that monster..."

Sasuke looked away. He hated it when they started talking about _Him _like a monster. That was what had driven him away in the first place.

Sasuke's eyes glazed over as he remembered.

xxFlashbackxx

_Blood...so much blood..._

_Blood was pooling under the bathroom door, the puddle growing slowly as he watched he reached for the handle. _

_It was cold...so cold...He was so cold...He was...He was..._

"Sasuke?"

xxEnd Flashbackxx

"Sasuke?" he jolted back to the real world, and looked at Sakura.

"What?" She sighed.

"Are you coming?" she asked before walking out of the door. Sasuke followed. As he neared the door, he felt eyes burning into his back. He turned.

In the corner were the couple Sakura was complaining about. The blond man was staring at him, an unreadable emotion buring fiercely in his eyes.

Sasuke blushed slightly, wondering why he was reacting so much. He forced himself to turn and leave. As he left, he heard voices folloew him from that table in the corner.

"I thought you wanted to shag him, not scare him."

"LOKI!"

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TBC...

R&R, please!

Vesuvio


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Two: Of Kareoke, Leather, and Odd Conversations.**

Sasuke steeled himself for what he knew was to come. He had been following the pair for a few days now, but he had never imagined it would come to this. His insides were quivering. He had faced many evils in his time as a ninja, but this was by far the most evil. It terrified him. He took a deep breath, reached out, and opened the door. Behind him, the neon sign saying 'Kareoke' flickered in the half-light.

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The inside of the Kareoke bar was awash with noise and colour, the smell of sake in the air almost tangible. And the stage. Oh God.

"Oh baby dont you know I suffer?

Oh baby can you hear me moan?

You caught me under false pretences...

How long before you let me go?"

He quickly averted his eyes from the sight of the leather-clad, white-haired woman singing and dancing suggestively. He heard a chuckle and turned to find her friend behind him.

"Don't worry, she gets to you like that. It has something to do with the total lack of morals she holds." He said, looking fondly at his dancing counterpart.

Sasuke took this chance to examine him. He had shoulder length blond hair pulled back into a half-ponytail, revealing the scar running from his right temple to his jaw. He had luminous blue eyes, the right of which had a splash of red across it. He was wearing a worn leather duster, under which was a black sleeveless top, and black pants tucked into calf-high boots.

Without turning his head, the man fixed his eye on Sasuke.

"Like what you see?" Sasuke started and attempted to look nonchalant. The man laughed. "Don't worry, I've been checking you out too. I've had ample chance, seeing as you've been following us. I'm Thor, by the way." He proffered his calloused hand.

xxxxFlashbackxxxx

_"Now," said Naruto "We need to think of names. As we aren't planning on revealing ourselves, we can't go around introducing ourselves with our real names."_

_"You, maybe. Nobody knows me here." said Loki smugly._

_"Everyone knows you, sensei."_

_"Not by name. Now, I think you should have a dashing name, one that makes you sound romantic, heroic..."_

_"Loki--"_

_"...and sets you apart from everyone else..."_

_"Loki--"_

_"...and it must go with mine, obviously...ano...how about...Thor! Like the God!"_

_"LOKI! LISTEN TO ME! I--hang on...that's not bad..."_

_"Of course. I _am _a genius."_

xxxxEnd Flashbackxxxx

Sasuke took 'Thor's' hand. "Uchiha Sasuke."

"A pleasure. And that walking sin up there is Loki. Believe it or not, she's my sensei." Sasuke nodded vacantly at this. His heart was still racing from the feeling he had gotten from the handshake. It wasn't normal. He'd only ever gotten that feeling from Him.

"So you and her aren't...well..." He trailed off.

"What...Oh, hell no! She's more like my older sister. And besides, she's scary as fuck." Thor replied.

"Excuse me," a voice cut in, "But look who's talking!"

Sasuke and Thor turned in surprise. During their conversation, they hadn't noticed that Loki's song had finished. She was now standing over them with a silently amused expression.

"Why, Loki, whatever do you mean?" teased Thor.

"I may be scary as fuck, but you are a helluva lot scarier than me."

"I am?"

"Have you ever seen yourself angry?" Thor was silent. "Exactement." Loki crossed her arms and smirked, having won the argument.

Sasuke looked on, bemused. They certainly were like siblings. They managed to argue and tease without it getting serious. Almost like the sibling relationship he wished he'd had with Itachi. And for some reason, their warm, relaxed disposition made him feel at ease. He almost felt able to let his guard down.

But however accepted he felt, he knew he wouldn't be able to relax for long without paranoia setting in. It was a curse he lived with, and he knew he would soon have to make his getaway before it became to much. He quietly excused himself and left the pair to their pandemonioum.

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Naruto and Loki watched him leave.

"You know, I sorta pictured you with someone more upbeat and trusting. But I understand why you like him. He sorta makes you wanna take him home and cuddle him, ne?"

Naruto grinned fondly. That was a very 'Loki' thing to say.

"Yeah..." he replied, letting the answer fade away into the background noise, as he wandered down memory lane, looking for Sasuke.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

ps: Sorry I haven't updated faster, I've just started college and it's a bit hectic!

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Three: 'It's life, Jim, but not as we know it.'**

For the next few weeks, most of Sasuke's time was taken up with avoiding the two newcomers. The sight of both of them meant trouble. Sasuke wondered what was wrong with him. Maybe he should go and see Tsunade...

Suddenly, his internal alarm went off and he ducked into an alley. Looking around the corner, he sighed in relief. Chatting animatedly with her new best friend, the bartender, Loki was strolling past the end of the street. Sasuke mentally thanked his years of training as a ninja that he could sense her before he saw her. God forbid that she catch him.

He had had many, terrifying encounters with her and knew better than to get caught again.

"--But what would be the point in that? Surely the glue would just burn off?"

Sasuke instinctly jumped up on to the roof of the building behind him. Just in time. At that moment Thor, and surprisingly Konohamaru, came ambling past the end of the alley. Sasuke simultaneously clenched his eyes and heart. Why did he feel like this? He had trained himself for years after He left, closing his heart to all those around him.

He began to shake as the memories took over.

xxFlashbackxx

_He reached out, hesitating slightly, and grasped the cold door handle. The floor beneath his feet was slick with blood._

_He slowly pushed the door inwards. It hit something soft. Sasuke looked around the toilet door to see a limp leg. His eyes widened in fear as he slowly looked up..._

xxEndFlashbackxx

In the real world, Sasuke sat down on the roof and wrapped his arms around his knees. He began to rock slightly as he was consumed by the past.

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THUD!

Kakashi looked up in surprise. Of all the rare times he was home, someone just had to call. He looked at his watch. 4:30pm. He sighed and, setting down his book, got up to answer the door.

As he opened it, what appeared to be a body fell through. He let go of the door. Kneeling down, he rolled the person over.

"...Hello, baby..." slurred Loki.

Kakashi stared for a second, then looked at his watch again. Still 4:30pm. Good grief.

"You start early, don't you?" he said, then grasped her under her arms and dragged her towards the sofa, kicking the door shut behind him. "Hrrmph! For such a small lady, you're quite heavy..."

"...Are you hung like a horse, baby...?" she replied. Kakshi simply raised an eyebrow as he heaved her onto the sofa.

"Now if you know what's good for you, you'll pass out like a normal drunk and sleep the rest of it off." he remarked, folding his arms and giving her Mother-Hen Look No.4.

Loki seemed to agree. After a few seconds the sound of light snoring could be heard from the sofa.

"Now, I must get that friend of yours. You can't stay here. Who knows what Sasuke would do."

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Four: Finders Keepers, Unfortunately.**

Thor looked up from his book as the door to The Ninja's Waypoint swung open. Kakashi stepped in and looked around before his eye alighted on the man he was looking for. He strolled over.

"You must be Thor."

Thor smiled slightly.

"It appears I am infamous. And what can I do for you, mysterious-man-whose-name-I-have-yet-to-discover?" Kakashi chuckled drolly.

"Hatake Kakashi, actually." he sat across from Thor at his invitation.

"Tea?" offered Thor, and poured a cup when Kakashi gave a nod of assent. "Well then, Hatake Kakashi, see above." Kakashi looked at Thor strangely.

"See above?" Thor looked confused for a moment, before the he realised what was wrong and chuckled sheepishly.

"Ah, sorry. I appear to have spent far too much time in the company of Loki. She doesn't enjoy repeating herself, and that comment is a habit I have picked up from her."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. This man was confusing. His speech patterns were completely irregular, as were his mannerisms. He would be well spoken and genteel one moment, then something would change, something would be released, and he would be a completely different person. It could be explained away as knowing someone like Loki for too long, but that was a rather weak argument. It was if he had a different personality, a more natural personality, that he was keeping hidden inside. For some reason, Kakashi was fnding that personality disturbingly familiar.

And that wasn't all.

Thor's chakra was like nothing he had seen before. As the man sat calmly sipping his tea, his chakra raged around him like and invisible hellfire, so unbelievably powerful that it was almost whiting out Kakashi's ability to sense chakra. He inwardly frowned. How was Thor keeping that much chakra invisible? And if this was him being calm, the man could be very dangerous when angered.

Kakashi smiled at Thor.

"Quite. Anyway, I was looking for you because I have something, no, some_one_ that belongs to you." A look of realisation dawned on Thor's face and he put a hand on his forehead in dismay.

"I have an idea where this is going..." Kakashi grimaced along with him.

"Yes...your worse half is currently passed out from drink on my sofa, having collapsed against my front door. Please, could you just take her away?"

Thor sighed in sympathy. He genuinely felt for than man as he delivered the bad news.

"I'm really, genuinely sorry, but...no. I can't."

"What? Why?" Kakashi looked slightly frantic.

"If you move her before she's ready, it won't be pretty. She nearly killed me last time. She gets violent."

"Violent. Or...uh...'easy' shall we say."

Kakashi's eye widened in abject terror.

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Sasuke banged on Kakashi's front door. To no avail. Silence reigned outside on the doorstep.

"Damn Kakashi-baka..." grumbled Sasuke "Leaving his damn books lying around all the time..."

He backed away to get a good run-up at the door, when there was a crash and a muffled shout from inside, followed by cursing and much rattling of the door. Finally, whatever was inside gave up on opening the door. It was silent again. Sasuke was just about to kick down the door, when the porch exploded.

As the dust cleared, a hellish figure wreathed with black chakra appeared. The creature opened it's fanged mouth

"SASUKE-CHAN!"

Sasuke screamed.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Five: You Know You're in Deep Shit When...**

Thor winced as their conversation was interrupted by a muffled explosion. He looked at Kakashi.

"That's your cue."

"My what?" asked Kakashi. Thor gave his 'new' friend a sympathetic grimace.

"If you don't go back to your place now, you might just find the rest of it has been destroyed by a freak explosion."

Kakashi's eyes went wide with veiled horror.

"Oh shit." Thor nodded sagely. Kakashi frowned, realising something. "Wait, me? What about you? She's your friend."

"Hey, now, woah..." he said, raising his hands in defense. "Don't you bring me into this. You're the one who let her in. It's your problem. And besides, I have a little personality quirk called 'self-preservation', thanks."

He watched as his companion assumed the expression of a drowning man.

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As Kakashi picked his way through the rubble and detritus that was his ex-porch, he mentally calculated the repair cost. He sighed.

"Oh well, I'll clear it up later. And she can pay for it when she's sober." He stopped his musings when he heard a squawk and a light thud. He made his way to the living room and was greeted by the sight of a tipsy Loki maneuvering an unconcious Sasuke onto the couch. When she had managed it, she turned to Kakahi, who was stood in the doorway.

"I wanted to play, but he fell over..." she said, tearing up and pouting. Kakashi was at a loss. He had no idea of what to do with crying women, much less _drunk_ and crying.

"Um...I..." he started, stuttering. Loki took this as a sign and launched herself into his arms. He fell back onto the couch, narrowly missing Sasuke. "Er...okay...what's the matter?" he continued. He was feeling rather shell-shocked.

Loki began wailing. It appeared she was a 'depressed' drunk.

"S'all cos' we came to this stupid, stupid village! All the people are stuck-up an' moral an' just an' within the law...an' all the ninjas are so second-rate an' I got noone good 'nuff to spar with cos' Naruto's gone off on one cos' he's back here and mooning over Sasuke...an' Nekomata is whingin' an' whinin' at me cos' Kyuubi refuses to talk to her cos' Naru-chan's not talkin' to him...an'...an'...an'...I wanna go hooooome!"

"There, there..." said Kakashi, rubbing her back while deciphering through her appallingly slurred speech. He stopped. Backtracked. "Wait...did you say _Naruto_!" he gasped at her.

Loki looked confused for a moment before it struck her. Her faced morphed into an expression of horror.

"Oh, shi--"

She disappeared.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Six: Schrodinger's Cat Syndrome.**

"--it!"

Naruto jumped back as Loki landed on his table.

"Nice of you to drop in." He commented. Loki scowled at him.

"Oh, ha, ha, bloody ha." As Naruto went to replace his drink, she untangled herself and sat on the edge of the table looking despondant. She had screwed up big time.

That's an understatement. He's gonna kill ya...

"Thatnks so much for the pep talk, Nekomata." growled Loki. She absently rubbed her host mark, an elaborate pentagram with an infinity symbol in the centre. It stood out like a firebrand on the back of her neck.

You're most welcome. An' anyways, if I hadn'ta gotten ya outta there, ya would'nta bin able ta get two steps. I dunno why ya didn't just activate your mark.

Loki scowled even more.

"Schrodinger's Syndrome is an unfair advantage over a ninja. I wasn't gonna do that to the poor sod."

And ya thought ya could explain 'Naruto' to 'im?

"..."

Quite. An' it's not an unfair advantage over a ninja. They spend their lives tryin' ta be everywhere at once. Schrodinger's jus' makes ya a very good ninja.

Loki smiled softly.

"Thanks, Nekomata. And don't worry; I'll get Kyuubi to talk to you."

Thankyou. Now. If you don't wanna hafta explain yourself to an irate Kakashi, ya better get a move--

"LOKI!"

--on.

A frantic Kakashi looked on as Loki smiled, waved, and promptly disappeared. He was about to run out of the bar, before he noticed Thor, or more accurately Naruto, standing at the bar. His eyes widened.

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In Kakashi's flat, Uchiha Sasuke was having a Moment of Inner Turmoil.

_...good 'nuff to spar with cos' Naruto's gone off on one cos' he's back here and mooning over Sasuke..._

She couldn't mean that...she couldn't...He...He was _dead..._

xxxxFlashbackxxx

_Uchiha Sasuke was annoyed. Furious. How dare that...that...IMBECILE challenge him and then not show up. The nerve! He stalked towards the well worn door that was Naruto's apartment. He banged on the door once and it swung in, unlocked._

_Sasuke frowned even more. That meant the idiot hadn't even left the bloody house! _

_He allowed himself a small, unnoticeable smile. This was so very like Naruto. Incompetant and sloppy, all bark and no bite. But he always got away with it. Sasuke supposed it must be something to do with those eyes. He knew the power of those eyes. They were what had started..._

_He shook his head and stormed into the apartment. He was meet with silence. Why was there nothing? This wasn't right. This was Naruto's apartment. He should be everyone, making lots of noise, knocking things over, making a mess...suddenly, Sasuke picked up a familiar tingling smell in the air. Blood._

_Horrified, he started running through the empty rooms, looking for the orange-haired menace. He ran past the bathroom, sandals sticking to the wet floor._

_He stopped dead. Looking down, he saw the floor was slick with a dark liquid. Sasuke didn't what to admit that he knew what it was, but..._

_He reached out, hesitatingly slightly, and grasped the cold door handle. He slowly pushed the door inwards. It hit something soft. Sasuke looked around the toilet door to see a limp leg. His eyes widened in fear as he looked up..._

_His back hit the wall behind him as a strangled scream tore from his throat. He ran out of the apartment, out of the smell of blood, out of the smell of death._

_Sobbing, he slid down the wall and buried his head in his knees. In his head he watched over and over again as the razor fell from the lifeless hands of his angel._

_'I love you...' _

_He sat still for hours._

_Steeling himself, Sasuke staggered back into the house. The stench of blood had become stronger, and it wasn't just coming from one place. He looked at the blood smeared walls, and followed the trail through the rooms to the back of the apartment. The window was open. Blood was smeared around the edges. Careful not to touch the blood, he looked out. The grass below was flattened, and there was a faint trail leading into the woods._

_As Sasuke collapsed beneath the window, he noticed a bloody word written on the floor in front of him._

_'Monster'_

_Sasuke began to cry again._

xxxxEndFlashbackxxxx

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

**PS:** The next few chapters (not entirely sure how many) are going to be Naruto's past and how he met Loki.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Seven: Memory Lane - Enter the Overfiend.**

Naruto blinked into conciousness. Looking down at himself, he took note of his situation. He was leaning against a tree in an unfamiliar forest. He quickly looked down at his wrists, ignoring his pounding head. Nothing. The skin there was as unblemished as it was the day he was born. He lifted his head again, inspecting the area around him. It wasn't just unfamiliar, it was _weird_. He could feel something buzzing in the air. It was coming out of the trees, the ground, everything.

He frowned and closed his eyes.

_Kyuubi?_

He had hidden the fact that he was familiar with the demon inside him from everyone in K..._there_. They would have driven him out long ago had they known.

_Saru? You awake now?_

_Kyuubi, did you bring us here? Where is this?_

_I have no idea. I got about 2 miles from the village before your raging subconcious knocked me out. That hurt, you know?_

_Eheh...Sorry about that, Kyuubi._

_I should hope so._

"Ah, you're awake now kid. An' my kitty here tells me your demon his too. Howdy!"

Naruto jumped up in surprise and automatically fell into a defensive position.

"How did you...?" was about as far as he got before he fell over. The new appearance, a woman of about 24, rocked on her heels as she leaned over him. Her long, blue braid fell over her shoulder and tickled his nose.

"Watch yerself, monkey-boy. I may have healed you, but you still lost a helluva lotta blood. You sit pretty there and I'll get some protein for ya. Something nice 'n' bloody. Ciao!" She disappeared with a smell of ozone. With her disappeared the violent energy that had been raging ver since he noticed her. The switch almost made Naruto sick.

_Kyuubi?_

_Saru?_

_Did you feel that?_

_How could I not? I feel like I've been put through a spin dry._

_What was it?_

_...Get back to me when I can see straight..._

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto. And the sarcasm comment is owned by the almighty Terry Pratchett.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Eight: Welcome to Hell.**

A few hours later, the strange woman came back carrying what seemed to be her own weight in dead animal. Naruto stirred and awoke from his doze at the smell. He looked at her and wrinkled his nose.

"Lovely." She looked up and grinned wryly.

"Unconcious to sarcastic in less than 5 seconds? Must be a new record." Naruto scowled at her. "Anywho, how'd ya like yer meat, Monkey-boy? Burnt? Medium? Rare? Blue?" She began to set up a fire as she rattled off the options to him. He collected his scattered mind together enough to make sense of some of what she had said.

"...Don't call me that." he replied. She looked at him in confusion.

"Call you wha...Oh! Monkey-boy! Well, what else should I call you? I don't know yer name and to me you look like a monkey. I mean, I s'pose I could call ya Saru-chan, like yer demon does, but he seems a bit posessive. I could call ya kid but I'm only what? Five years older than ya? I mean, I s'pose that is a long gap, but still. I don' wanna be condescending to you cos' ya seem like a nice enough guy, but I really don't know what to call you."

Naruto sat there dazed for quite a while.

"What, was I talkin' too much? I do that sometimes, y'know, but--"

"Naruto." She stopped.

"Naruto?"

"Mmm. An' Kyuubi says how'd you know about him?" putting down the carcases, she smiled and knocked his head gently. Despite her rough attitude, her eyes were soft and kind.

"Dummy. Can't you feel it? I have a demon too." Naruto realised that this must have been what he and Kyuubi had sensed earlier. "Well there, young one." she continued "You do seem to be taking everything a little too calmly. You did just rip your wrists open in a slightly too artful manner. And you've just woken up in an unfamiliar place. For a ninja, you're not very sharp at the moment, are you?"

"I think I'm in shock" said Naruto quietly. He began to giggle. As she looked on, he started to shake, and tear ran down his pale face.

With a slight tut of concern, she gathered him up in her arms, rocking him gently. Before he fell aasleep he muttered something slightly.

She smiled fondly again.

"Loki. M'name's Loki, little one." she tightened her arms, and, leaning against the tree, fell asleep with him.

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A black, void-like aura sprung up around the clearing. The ninja started in fear, and backed slowly away from the meat he was stealing. Out of the void stalked a sole figure, carrying a bundle in it's arms. As it came into view, he could see it was a woman, carrying a teen in her wiry arms. She had the same void in her eyes.

She spoke quietly.

"You won't steal his food." the ninja's face lost all colour, and as he stumbled backward, the void began pressing in on him. He could feel the pressure gathering around his body, radiating fear into his Limbic system. Every bad memory, every horrible feeling he had ever witnessed was amplified a thousand time in his brain.

"I said, you won't steal his food." this time, the ninja wet himself. He didn't move a muscle as the stream trickled down his leg. Suddenly, the she-demon looked exasperated.

"Oh, fer God's sakes man, get some bloody backbone!" she cried. Seconds later, the ninja disappeared in a spark of ozone.

"Mmmf..." mumbled the bundle in her arms. Instantly, the void disappeared and Loki returned to normal. She knelt down, setting Naruto down in front of her. Brushing back the hair from his forehead, she watched as he woke up.

"Hey there, little one. Hungry much?" He mumbled again, this time accompanied by his rumbling stomach. Loki chuckled. "Quite. Give me minute, I'll have some food ready for you." she walked over to the meat and started preparing a fire. On reflection, Naruto felt it was more sauntered than walked. Loki seemed to saunter everywhere. "We should reach Home before noon. Hold up until then, ne?"

Noon? thought Naruto? He looked to the sky. To his surprise, it was dark, save for the opalescent glimmer of dawn on the horizon.

"What...what day is it today? How long have I been asleep?" Loki turned and grinned at him.

"About a day. You should be grateful, kid. I've been carryin' ya for miles. Today's Friday. Best day o' the week."

When she finished the food and they ate, Naruto attempted to get up. To his surprise, Loki tutted at him and, loading her bag and assorted paraphrenalia on to her back, she picked him up, bundled him in her cloak, and began to walk. Naruto squawked in protest. "No arguments. You ain't fit enough to be walkin' as far as we're goin."

He sighed and relaxed to enjoy the ride.

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Just before noon, as they were reaching the beginnings of a marked trail, Loki stopped. Where the trail started, the trees thickened and it became noticeably darker. Naruto looked around, wondering why they had stopped. Suddenly, Loki spoke.

"I cannot carry him. You must take him from here, my friend."

To Naruto's astonishment, a man he had not sensed appeared from out of the shadows to their right. He bowed slightly, and then took the Naruto from her, leaving behind the cloak. This, Loki shook out and trew around her shoulders. She leaned down to brush the creases out of it, and, as she straightened up, Naruto couldn't help but noticed how regal she appeared.

Though stray hairs were escaping, her blue pigtail hung down elegantly to the small of her back. the cloak she wore was black, with fur edging and blue lining. Only now he realised she was wearing nearly all black. A black shirt and black leather breeches, tucked into black calf boots. She had a wide black sash tied around her waiste, where the shirt was tucked into the breeches.

The only colour about her person was the blue lining of her cloak, two teardrop sapphire earings, and something he hadn't noticed before. On the back of her neck, just to the right, was an angry red fire-brand which contrasted the blue of her hair. It was a pentagram, with an unfamiliar symbol in the middle a bit like a knot.

He couldn't get over how intimidating she was. She looked like the warrior queens he had read about in books, woman forced into a man's position of ruling.

He then realised they were moving again. Unbeknownst to him, Loki had preceded into the dark forest and the man who was holding him fell in behind her. Looking around, he kept seeing things out of the corner of his eye, like figures, ninjas hiding. All of a sudden, an alarmingly loud call sounded out ahead of them. It became an exotic tune that made Naruto's eaars ring.

Loki, just in front of them, threw her head back and answered.

The call soared over the forest and many more calls came, each in counterpoint, forming a message that Naruto could not understand. Then all fell silent.

"We are here." said the man. Naruto started and looked up at him. "M'name is Remy, li'l one. I gotta warn ya. Once we get inside, ya can't talk to Loki here. Y'might get in trouble."

"From her?" Remy shook his head gently. Looking up ahead of them, he replied.

"No. From them."

Following the direction of his gaze, Naruto gaped in amazement as hoards of people slowly poured out from huge, carved wooden gates. In the shadows of the trees around them, ninjas faded into existence.

Amongst the crowds were people dressed similarly to Loki, except they had no cloaks.

The crowd backed away until there was a crescent around one of these people, a man with short, dark hair and an olive complexion. He raised his green eyes to meet Loki's. She gestured for Remy to stop, and then walked forward until she was within 3 feet of the man.

"M'Lady." He barked roughly.

"Masa." replied Loki, in a smooth, powerful voice Naruto had never heard before. The man, Masa, took a visible deep breath.

"I, Masa of the people of the Tao'karr, challenge the Warlord-Queen Loki to a Duel of Final Judgement." he said, quietly.

Loki searched his eyes. She found nothing.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto. And the sarcasm comment is owned by the almighty Terry Pratchett.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Nine: Loki.**

_"M'Lady." He barked roughly._

_"Masa." replied Loki, in a smooth, powerful voice Naruto had never heard before. The man, Masa, took a visible deep breath._

_"I, Masa of the people of the Tao'karr, challenge the Warlord-Queen Loki to a Duel of Final Judgement." he said, quietly._

_Loki searched his eyes. She found nothing._

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Th most prominent memory Naruto had of that evening was of blood and fire, and the bittersweet smell of raw death. He stood leant against the wooden wall, straining and shaking with the effort. He could hear every breath taken in the room, every movement made. He carefully guided himself around to the door, and knocked before entering.

Loki looked up as someone entered. Naruto glared at her accusingly. She couldn't meet his eyes.

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_Forcing herself to keep eye contact, she set her jaw._

_"I accept. We fight at sundown."_

_She swept past the nervous man, heading into the dark city. Remy, carrying Naruto, followed behind. Naruto looked up at Remy's face and could see the worry there. The sun-lines in the man's face were crinkled as he bit his lip and frowned at the oblivious woman in front of him._

_It was only now Naruto noticed how worn these people looked. He couldn't see much in the half-light caused by the trees, but what he could see spoke of an ancient race, more powerful than he had ever encountered. And it made sense - these were a people led by a Warlord-Queen. A warrior race._

_He was confused about how he wasn't only making observations like this now, but as he tried to analyse the people he saw further, his mind began to noticably fog. He knew it had nothing to do with his current state. There was something protecting them._

_They approached a large building, but Naruto had lost track of where they were within the vast city. The building was of a dark, slightly reddish wood, with two stories where most other buildings here had one. Loki walked up to the door and placed her hand on it. Black sparks appeared around it, and it opened. _

_As Remy and Naruto crossed the threshold after Loki, he smelt the distinct twang of the air after a storm. He remembered that it was what Loki had smelt like._

_As soon as the door snapped shut behind them, Loki gathered Naruto up out of Remy's arms and all but ran up the stairs. Laying him down on a pile of silk cushions and animal skins, she felt his forehead. She sighed in relief as she found it at the right temperature._

_"Well then, my little Saru, how're you feeling?" Naruto mumbled a positive sounding noise and remy chuckled slightly. Loki smiled too, then opened her mind._

And you? Kyuubi? How are you surviving?

_Naruto started as a double voice sounded into his mind, one strong and warm, one honeyed and purring. He felt Kyuubi rouse and answer._

I'm fine, thank you for asking. Unlike _some_ people I know...

_Naruto listened in amusement as Kyuubi grumbled about unnapreciative ninjas._

_"Um...Loki-sama...what was that just now? That other voice?" asked Naruto. Loki looked at him in surprise, then realisation dawned on her face._

_"You don't know, do you? You've never had it explained. And why would you have? You modern ninjas have no idea about the world around you." Naruto opened his mouth to defend the very people who had shunned him, but a look from Remy silenced him._

_"You must have noticed you were different from the people of Konoha when growing up? I don't just mean Kyuubi, I mean you, the human. Your skin is darker, your eyes more intense than those of the Konohans. And you mature faster and then stop growing." Naruto found himself nodding. He had noticed, and so had the villagers. He was an outsider. "I don't know who your parents were, but somehow or another, you are one of ours. You are Tao'karr._

_And not just any Tao'karr, either. You have the ability to become a host, to carry a demon. I don't know the circumstances surrounded your particular choosing, but whoever it was must have known about your heritage. Known specific _details _of you heritage." She paused. Met his eyes. "The only Tao'karr capable of being hosts are the Akursia clan. My clan."_

_Naruto sat back in astonishment. He had relatives! Loki saw his shock and reached out her arms, bringing him to her. For the second tme, he cried into her shirt._

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_For the rest of the day, Loki cared for Naruto as a mother would for her son. Nekomata, Loki's demon, had decided that the cub needed a mother, and this sentiment had transferred to Loki._

_At five o' clock, she left his side and walked out into the gathering darkness. As she left Naruto watched her._

_He followed her down to the gates of the city, wobbling unsteadily on his feet. As he began to fall over, someone caught him. He looked up to a face similar to Remy's, but different. The woman smiled and helped him walk towards the gates. As they arrived, he caught sight of a huge bonfire that licked the branches of the trees. _

_Standing in front of that fire were three people. Masa stood defiant, hand on sword. Remy stood opposite, holding a ceremonial scabard inlaid with jet. _

_And next to him stood Loki._

_Naruto shuddered. Her eyes were dark as death, but as hard and hot as hellfire. He could see the killer intent in them. This was not the Loki who had cared for him for the past couple of days. This was another person, the side he realised Loki had been hiding behind smiles and soft looks. This was the roughness he had seen when he had first woken up._

_"Fight."_

_This word, though spoken by Remy, chilled him to the very core. Masa unsheathed his sword, and stood ready. The ornate katana glittered fiercely in the firelight._

_Loki held out her hand to Remy, and he proffered the scabard to her. Clasping the blood-red handle, she drew the scimitar from it's case. The scimitar, like the case, was inlaid with jet. However, far from being as bright and beautiful as the katana Masa wielded, it was notched and stained with age. She stood tall and bowed her head slightly to Masa. He returned the bow, and then struck._

_It was over before it started. As Masa ran at Loki, she disappeared. Even Naruto could not follow her movements. She reappeared within the circle of Masa's arms. Masa's eyes were wide and disbelieveing. Loki's sword protruded out of Masa's back. He gave a sigh and collapsed._

_"Is there any man here who will fight me and save his honor?" said Loki. The crowd went deathly quiet. Noone spoke up. _

_Loki nodded, then tore the scimitar from his body. Masa landed, dead, with a sickening thump._

_Blood._

_Fire._

_Death._

_Loki looked up and saw Naruto. Her eyes widened imperceptably, and forcing herself to walk, she strode back through the crowd to her house in the middle of the city._

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As Naruto stared at her downturned head, tears splattered onto the mahogany floor. They were hers.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Ten: Getting away with...well...everything...**

_As Naruto stared at her downturned head, tears splattered onto the mahogany floor. They were hers._

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Naruto breathed heavily as he looked at the woman who had saved his life. Her shoulders were not shaking, nor was she trembling. The only indication of her sorrow were the tears darkening the wood beneath her.

"How...how could you? That was murder...what if he had a FAMILY?!" cried Naruto. Loki looked up and he gasped as her eyes met his. The pain there was unbearble.

"He had a wife. A child. Two brothers. A cousin. That is who I made him leave behind. I had to. He issued a challenge to my authority. I am a woman, and if I ever let that authority slip by sparing the life of just one-"

"_How can you say that?!_ He had a family, you said it yourself. How can you say that as if it makes it alright? His child will grow up without a father..." Naruto's chest tightened as he thought of his own past. "I should know what it's like..."

At this accusation, Loki's face turned to stone. "I don't pretend to condone it. But I had no choice. What I did was wrong, but so are many actions you will encounter in your life. This is how the world works." Her face softened. "He was my cousin..." At this, all the anguish she had been holding back broke the barrier she had put them in and she collapsed. To her surprise, she felt a pair of skinny, scarred arms catch her. She inwardly, she grimaced. _It's me sobbing into his shirt now. Oh the irony._

She looked up at Naruto. In his eyes she still saw the accusing glare, but there was some acceptance, and even a hint of dry humour.

"I won't say I understand, because I don't. I don't understand why you had to fight and kill your cousin. But this is your society. I can't judge...and I suppose I must learn, because it's mine, now, too." Loki stared at him in awe. He truly was a Tao'karr. She could hear the ancients in his voice.

"You are wise for one so young." Naruto smiled grimly and lifted a hand to scrub his eyes.

"Is your life always this traumatic?" He said with a sigh.

"You have _no_ idea."

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For the next few days Naruto hardly ever saw Loki. He was looked after by her friend, Remy, while she was apparently taking care of Masa's affairs. They would sit on the roof of Loki's house and look out across the top of the forest, and Remy would tell him about the customs and history of their...no..._his_ people.

It was one such evening that Naruto asked a question that had been bothering him ever since they had reached the dark city.

"Rem'...I was wonderin' about Loki. Why's her speech...I don' know...different?" He had spent so much time with Remy, that he had begun to adopt the same low, lilting accent of the Tao'karr.

"Different? You mean th' way she talks all proper?" Naruto 'hnn'd in assent.

"She talked like you do b'fore we got here, den when she gave me ta you, she changed..." Remy grinned wryly.

"Ye mean she spoke like _we_ do, kid. Ya sound like a proper Tao'karr now." Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "She's meanta talk like dat. Means she's de leader. De Boss-Lady. It's hard to control someone if y' don't talk in a powerful way, if y' know what I mean?"

Naruto nodded slightly and looked out over the other houses to where the sun was setting behind the edge of the trees. He didn't know why, but even though he had only been here for a few days, he felt as if he _belonged,_ for the first time in his life. Though he didn't know this place as he did Konoha, he felt as if, in his heart he didn't need to. He knew this place in a special corner of his soul. These were _his_ people. As the warm heavy air settled around him and stars appeared in the purple sky, he felt as if he was truly home.

"Rem'."

"Yeah kid?"

"I want to learn. I want to become Tao'karr."

Remy reached out and wrapped his arm around Naruto's shoulders, hugging the scrawny boy to his side.

"About time, little cousin."

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Loki ran a hand through her hair as she opened her front door and stepped into the warm light. She was so tired. Closing the door behind her, she looked up to find an anxious Naruto and a proud Remy standing there to meet her. She raised an eyebrow.

"What's th' occasion?" Naruto relaxed visibly at her informal accent. Remy smiled like Christmas had come early.

"Th' boy wants ta become one of us. A Tao'karr." All her weariness forgotten, Loki's face lit up and she gathered Naruto into her arms. Sh rested her face atop his head.

"My child."

Naruto couldn't help but smile at the posessiveness in the _'my'_.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

**Ps: **Just to help you follow it a little better, this chapter is mainly snapshots of Naruto's life with the Tao'karr up until his return to the village.

**Edit:** I apologise for those of you who are offended by an excess of explicit language, but I just found this too amusing and I had to include it. Homophobes don't need to be made fools of; they do it all to readily.

Review:

_this seemed like a nice story at first but then you ruined it by making it gay. fUCK YOU TO THE DEEPEST PITTS OF HELL YOU DAMNED GAY PERSON YOUR GONNA BURN IN HELL FOR EVER. GOD MADE TWO DIFERENT GENDERS FOR A REASON YOU DAMNED PEDOPHILE DONT WRITE BACK YOU FUCKING BITCH_

Sorta reminds me of lady off've that wife-swap program. 'Dark side', anyone?

Anywho, on with the show!

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Eleven: A Stitch in Time...**

Naruto spent the next ten years under the tutelage of Loki and her entourage. His 'education' was one of the most interesting and colourful uses of the word 'education' he had ever heard.

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_Remy shuffled the cards in his hands before dealing them out to the four around the table - Naruto, Deo, Lucas and himself. He looked pointedly at Naruto._

_"Th' first rule o' th' game is that yo' opponents should never be able to read you, Naru." Naruto guiltily lost his look of eagerness._

_Remy chuckled slightly and Deo put her hand on Naruto's and grinned at him fondly. Lucas remained poker-faced. Remy picked up on this and gestured towards him._

_"See, Naruto? _Dis_ is what you should aspire to!" Lucas glared at Remy for the indignation of being used as a teaching aid. The rest of them were unable to contain their laughter._

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_"Gotcha!" crowed Naruto in delight as he bopped Loki on the head with a practice blade. Loki smiled lightly before scolding him._

_"And I suppose you're going to kill me by scalping me?" Naruto looked at her in confusion. "The average sword is not really up to slicing through bone as it does through skin, now, is it? If you're expecting to cut me in half, you would have a better chance if you sliced me through the middle, nummy."_

_Naruto grinned sheepishly before jumping backwards as Loki lunged at him once more. Sure enough, after a few minutes there was a cry of agony as Loki smacked Naruto hard on the side with the flat of her blade._

_"See?" she said as Lucas wandered from the side to help the stricken Naruto up. "I did a lot more damage than you. The head is not as vulnerable as most people think."_

_Naruto smiled a rare smile, a genuine smile. Loki smiled in return._

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_"What. In. The. Twelve. Hells. Of. Maarkun. Possesed. You. To. Provoke. A. DEMON!?" shouted a twenty-seven year old Naruto at a grinning Loki, as they both dived and dodged for all they were worth._

_"Aw, you're not _scared_, are you baby? It's just a demon-" a giant claw caught her and she soared into a tree and collapsed. Naruto stopped in shock, and the rage began to build inside him, mirrored by the rage of Kyuubi. Chakra began emanating from his every pore and he turned towards the Badger demon. almost hesitatingly, it swiped him across the face. Blood thrickled down the huge gash from his eyebrow to his cheek. He didn't even flinch._

_Across the clearing, Loki slyly looked up from her prone position, trying to hide her grin._

_When Naruto spoke, Kyuubi shared his voice._

_"Don't you touch my fucking sensei/_mate,_ asshole." The chakra engulfed him in the shape of Kyuubi. His ears, nails, and teeth all lengthened, and his eyes turned amber and cat-like._ _Naruto and Kyuubi lunged simultaneously._

_The demon didn't stand a chance._

_They ran up to where Loki was lying. "Loki/_Nekomata, _are y'okay?" They stopped short as Loki got to her feet grinning. Naruto/Kyuubi looked at her suspiciously. She hugged them. "What/_what?_"_

_She stepped back and smiled "That was the last test. The last power I can teach you. Now that the chakra passageway has been used once, it will become easier and easier to use."_

_"What? Y' mean you _planned _dis?! You're an effing _looney_!" ranted Naruto, while Kyuubi shrank and disappeared in a sulk._

_"I won't say that your education is over, because noone's education is ever over. However, you are now a full Tao'karr. A prince of Tao'karr."_

_"A WHAT??!" Loki burst into laughter at the look on his face._

_"Because I have so few living blood relatives, namely you and Remy, you are princes by default. If I die, you take my place." she was smiling proudly now, and as they sat down by the roots of a tree, Naruto began to protest._

_"But what about Remy, surely he should be heir? I mean-"_

_"No. You are far more powerful than he. You are also much more well-liked, as he is famous for being a scoundrel." she grinned fondly. "And besides, he doesn't want to be my sucessor. He says it would restrict his freedom. Personally..." She leaned in close and Naruto did the same. "...I think he's just a pussy." Naruto stared at her in disbelief, before breaking up into incredulous laughter. He stopped short when he noticed the gash on the side of her face._

_"Loki, you're hurt!" he started to fuss, but she batted him away._

_"Nonsense. And besides, you have a matching one." she reached out towards his face and touched the blood on his face. But Naruto was no longer paying attention. He was staring at her hair._

_"What...what happened t' your hair?" Loki frowned, before reaching up and tried to pull her braid in front of her face, but she found she couldn't. She didn't have one. _

_"Oh. I spose our big friend must have cut it off when he hit me." Naruto shook his head._

_"No, I mean yes, but dat's not it. Y' hair. It's _white_." Loki blinked, before grabbing at her fringe and tugging it in front of her eye as far as it would go._

_"Oh. So it is. I know what this is." Naruto raised an eyebrow at her and she shuddered. "That is so Remy...anyway, this is what is called Chakra bleaching. Some of the older Tao'karr have it from the Great Dark Wars. It's when someone is exposed to incredible amounts of incredibly strong chakra. Normally people say it's being scared that turns your hair white. Maybe the fear is a side-effect of the exposure. Hmm..."_

_She jumped up from the ground and dragged Naruto up with her._

_"Wait," he said. "You mean ta say I did that?" She practically beamed at him._

_"You're going to make a fabulous prince, honey."_

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_"Loki." Remy and Loki looked up from their card game to see Naruto looking unaturally somber._

_"I'm ready to face them again." Loki took his hand and used it to help herself up._

_"Well let's go get packed then. They won't know what hit them."_

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please! Send in your ideas for Sasuke's reaction! (rubs hands together) This should be fun...**

**Vesuvio**


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Twelve: He Who Hunts Monsters.**

_A frantic Kakashi looked on as Loki smiled, waved, and promptly disappeared. He was about to run out of the bar, before he noticed Thor, or more accurately Naruto, standing at the bar. His eyes widened._

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Naruto felt two burning holes in his back. He didn't look around, but he had a good idea as to who was staring at him so intently. The stare of a Sharingan has an unmistakable feeling. Instead, he calmly finished his tea and ordered another.

"Well, my silent friend. What troubles you?"

If Kakashi was surprised, he didn't show it. He approached the bar and leant on it next to Naruto.

"Hullo, 'Thor'."

Naruto winced imperceptably. He could hear the inverted commas. He sighed slightly and finally looked at the once-taller man next to him.

"Loki was running from you, wasn't she?" Nod. "Thought soACK--"

Naruto broke of as the earth trembled violently beneath his feet and he emptied his scorching tea across Kakashi's lap. A messenger appeared at Kakashi's ear even as Naruto recognised the chakra swarming around the north gate. Their argument put on hold, their eyes met and they uttered one, hated, feared word.

"Orochimaru."

And they took off for the gate.

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Loki, having lumped Naruto with Kakashi, wandered aimlessly around the town. She had laughed and run about for a bit with the children in one of the backstreets, and now she was climbing the cliffs overlooking Konoha.

Looking down from the top she smiled. She could understand why the fourth had made Naruto a host. This village was so peaceful and serene; she herself wouldn't have let anything harm it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? So fragile. You can't be Hokage unless you understand that." Loki hummed in agreement before turning to see the origin of the voice. A breathtaking blonde woman stood next to her and gazed out at the rooftops of Konoha. Then she turned and smiled. "I'm Godaime." she said, and proffered her hand. Loki took it and bowed slightly.

"Tsunade-sama. I am Warlord-Queen Loki of the Tao'karr." Tsunade looked at her, bemused.

"The what?" She said, screwing up her face slightly. Loki grinned and laughed.

"Of course, you name all of your ninja countries the same, strange way, don't you? I suppose I would be called something like 'Chikage' then. And my village 'Chikaragakure'?"

Tsunade did a double-take. And then frowned, dropping into a defensive stance. Loki looked affronted.

"I beg you pardon?" Tsunade sneered.

"You don't exist." Loki was about to retort, but at that moment the earth shook with a familiar chakra, and the ground beneath her feet was replaced with the wrong side of the edge of the cliff.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime:** Naruto

**Pairings:** SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakashiOC.

**Author:** Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:** I'm broke. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't own Naruto.

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**Born of War**

**Chapter Thirteen: Snakes and Ladders.**

_Tsunade did a double-take. And then frowned, dropping into a defensive stance. Loki looked affronted._

_"I beg you pardon?" Tsunade sneered._

_"You don't exist." Loki was about to retort, but at that moment the earth shook with a familiar chakra, and the ground beneath her feet was replaced with the wrong side of the edge of the cliff._

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Tsunade regained her balance, and looked up to find the strange ninja's face consumed in a devilish grin. As she looked on, the already sharp canines at each side of Loki's mouth began to lengthen and her eyes became a less friendly amber and her pupils reformed into menacing slits.

"Well. It's about fucking _time_!" and with that exclaimation, she threw herself bodily over the cliff. Tsunade started and paused for a second before racing after her. She could feel the sickly, horrific chakra pouring into the village and was unsurprised to see a giant snake not a hundred metres from the main gate. She cursed whatever reason had brought Orochimaru back, now that Naruto was gone and Sasuke uncontaminated. That was one thing she had to thank Naruto's disappearance for - Sasuke had been adamant about not succumbing to his own monster, the seal, and had through sheer will cast off Orochimaru's power over him.

Suddenly, as she was dashing over the rooftops, it occurred to her what the 'Chikage' had said. Had she known this was going to happen? Was this why she had come here? Or had she brought him down on Konoha, clearing the way from the inside? The thought that a spy had gotten into the village without her or her ANBU detecting them made her seeth with rage. Fuelled by said anger, she quickly caught up to the now almost feral ninja.

"Did you know he was coming? Or did you bring him here,spy?!" She demanded. The insulted look on Loki's face told her that the latter was most probably wrong.

"You're messin' wit' me!" Her speech had descended into a dialect that fitted her appearence better, Tsunade thought. "If I'da known where d'hell he was, I wouldn'ta c'mere - I would dealt wit' him on m'own soil. All I knew was that fo' sho' he was gonna turn up here soona'or later. _Maarkun_, woman. what'ya t'ink I am?" She increased her speed until Tsunade could barely keep sight of her.

Switching to autopilot, the Godaime mulled over what she had just learned. _So that woman came here looking for Orochimaru? Either she's an overconfident fool, or she's got friends with her in the village. I'm willing to bet the latter - the way she talked was as if she would do anything to keep the undefended - Konoha - safe from harm. Is she the Chikage then? What was her name...Loki...she certainly has enough power to be..._

Tsunade's thoughts trailed off as she came upon the main gate, which, by now, was already besieged with Orochimaru's disgusting serpants. But that was not what got her attention - standing almost like harbringers of doom in front of the gate, were two figures. One was definately Loki, but the other, despite his appearence, was someone she would never fail to recognise. How could she have not noticed him before? Standing in front of her, timeless blues eyes matching the smoke drifting from cigarette stuck in the mad, cheshire grin, was Naruto Uzumaki.

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_Naruto broke off as the earth trembled violently beneath his feet and he emptied his scorching tea across Kakashi's lap. A messenger appeared at Kakashi's ear even as Naruto recognised the chakra swarming around the north gate. Their argument put on hold, their eyes met and they uttered one, hated, feared word._

_"Orochimaru."_

_And they took off for the gate._

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A worried frown was etched across what showed of Kakashi's face as he ran alongside his former student. _What am I going to do with him? I can't protect him, because he's just going jump into the fray when I'm not looking. Dammit! Of all the times he has to return, it had to be at the same time as Orochimaru._ He looked to the boy on his right, and was startled to see an insane grin almost chopping the boy's - no, the man's head in half. _He's enjoying this! Oh, Gods, he's going to get himself killed..._

Kakashi's inner rant was interrupted when he realised Naruto had said something. "Sorry, what?" Naruto mock-glared at him.

"I said I was just thinking that it's about bloody time - I thought he'd never show up and then this venture would have been a waste of time." Kakashi nearly tripped over. He spluttered in a very un-Kakashi-like manner, regained his balance, and carried on running.

"_'About bloody time'?_ You mean to tell me you were _waiting _for him?!" But Naruto wasn't paying attention. Kakashi had to stop abruptly before he ran into him. He took a few steps backwards to take in the Serpants at the gates. Naruto, still grinning, pulled a crumpled packet out of his duster, withdrew a cigarette and lit up, before proffering the packet to the woman who Kakashi had not noticed appear next to him. He felt Tsunade also arrive, and felt her surprise as she drew level with him.

"That...that's not...Naruto?" She stuttered.

Kakashi opened his mouth to reply. As the words were about to leave his mouth, there was a sort of hollow whooshing noise, loud enough to deafen, and the pair threw their hands in front of their faces as the area filled with melting-hot light in vibrant orange and soul-destroying void.

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**TBC...**

**R&R, please!**

**Vesuvio**


	15. Chapter 15

Hi everybody! I know it's been ages, and I'm really really REALLY sorry, but life outside the pc Macbook now kinda caught up with me. Anywho, here's the next chapter, and I'll try to keep up this time. Ja!

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime: **Naruto

**Pairings: **SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakaOC.

**Author: **Vesuvio

**Disclaimer: **Well, I'm not broke anymore, but I still have nowhere near enough to buy this OR pay if you sue me...

And without further ado, I present to you...

**Born of War**

**Chapter Fourteen: The Number One Surprising Ninja!**

_He felt Tsunade also arrive, and felt her surprise as she drew level with him._

_"That...that's not...Naruto?" She stuttered._

_Kakashi opened his mouth to reply. As the words were about to leave his mouth, there was a sort of hollow whooshing noise, loud enough to deafen, and the pair threw their hands in front of their faces as the area filled with melting-hot light in vibrant orange and soul-destroying void._

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As the light died down, Kakashi lowered his arms to find everything a blur. Panicking, he activated is sharingan to see heat-like ripples of chakra clouding his view of the two figures he supposed must be in front of him. The high pitched whine that had replaced all other sounds gradually faded to be replaced with a very faint thrumming noise, like a electricity cable. He glanced to his right, where Tsunade appeared to be attempting to heal her vision. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"It's not your eyes - it's their Chakra." Tsunade's eyes widened as she turned to the pair in front of them, and where there was once a blur, there were now two lean figures.

Tsunade frowned. Something wasn't right.

As the humming slowly vanished, so did the blur, and Tsunade and Kakashi could see why they were feeling distinctly uncomfortable. In front of them were not two humans, but two half-beasts.

From Naruto's back rose nine, gloriously white tails, tipped with orange flame as they writhed across the dusty ground. Radiating from his body was an orange light that took the shape of a savage fox, but it wasn't the fox snarling wildly for blood - it was Naruto.

Next to him crouched a snapping Loki, her canines elongated down past her chin, mirroring the black light cocooning her body in the shape of a skeletal cat. She cackled and grinned like a fiend at the creature next to her. It frowned, however, at the site of a trickle of blood dribbling down her chin from the side of her mouth. Leaning over, and with surprising tenderness, he licked the blood away and cocked his head. She batted him across the ear, and they both turned their attention to the snake in front of them.

"Kami-sama...they're terrible..." stuttered Tsunade in a horrified, hushed voice. Kakashi shut his eyes beside her.

"What has she done to him?"

"I've done nothing but give him confidence, child." barked a harsh voice. Kakashi opened his eyes to see what was once Loki looking back at him with a condescending look on his face. "You people broke his spirit, but I saved his soul." She met his eyes. "By giving him part of my own." Naruto looked at her in confusion, his eyes clouding as he remembered a conversation he'd had with Kyuubi when he first met Loki.

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_Kyuubi?_

_Saru?_

_Did you feel that?_

_How could I not? I feel like I've been put through a spin dry._

_What was it?_

_...Get back to me when I can see straight..._

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"That isn't possible." A voice cut across his reminiscing. Tsunade was looking at Loki with a hard look in her eyes.

"Wha..."he was interrupted

"He is Human. He may have a demon, but that does not make him other than Human." Loki snorted at this, which sounded vaguely like 'hypocrite'. "You are Tao'karr. You cannot share your soul-grafting gift.'

"I notice it's 'gift' now. During the wars it was 'freaks curse' or something similar. And I assume this means that you know who-" She was interrupted abruptly by Orochimaru's snake eating a ninja who was standing by Tsunade's right shoulder. She returned her attention to the task at hand. "Anyway - we're going to have a nice long chat when this is finished." she turned to Naruto "Y'too monkey-boy. Now c'mon, let's gank dis freak, ey?" As she launched herself into a scrambling run towards their enemy, Naruto smiled slightly as he noticed her movements and remembered something [1. _Well, _he thought, _not quite everywhere._ With that, he slung himself bodily on her tail, smile growing to a feral grin.

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Blood. Fire. Ozone.

The ninjas of Konohagakure stood in not-quite-awe as their efforts turned out to be unneeded. Orochimaru had long since fled, evading his would be captors who were still occupied with his snake minions. When Orochimaru had escaped, their almost playful fighting had morphed into something much more violent and angry. They literally tore the snakes to pieces, littering the ground with chunks of flesh and pools of blood. Their jaws snapped and their eyes drank the sight of the snakes torment. They reveled in the fight until, quite suddenly, Loki's body went limp and tumbled from it's perch on top of the snake's battered head. She righted herself about six foot from the ground, twisting lithely like a cat and landing on all fours. Naruto promptly severed the snake's head with a slender blade of chakra, before rushing to the side of his sensei. The threat now gone, what remained of Konoha's ninjas approached cautiously, lead by a somewhat mortified Tsunade and Kakashi.

Loki raised her head sharply to meet Naruto's concerned eyes. As her flaming eyes and blood-speckled features came into view from behind her sentient white hair, Kakashi felt a strange tightening in his chest. Rubbing it vaguely, he made a mental note to ask Tsunade to check for internal injuries when everything had settled down.

Tsunade looked down at them as they looked up from their position on the floor, Naruto semi-shielding Loki's body.

"That was hideous."

Loki grinned at Tsunade obvious discomfort.

"That is who we are, Godaime-sama. _We_ are Tao'karr." At the stress on the 'We', both Tsunade and Kakashi's heads whipped round to stare at Naruto.

As Naruto met their stares, they could clearly see a Tao'karr's age in his defiant eyes.

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And there ye have it folks! I **will** post another chappie before the week is out! I swear! You may feed me to the big, bad Naruto demon if I don't. XOXOX

R&R,

_Vesuvio_


	16. Chapter 16

Look! Another chapter! Within 24 hours of the last, no less. I'm getting better at this updating thingy . Enjoy!

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime: **Naruto

**Pairings: **SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakaOC.

**Author: **Vesuvio

**Disclaimer: **Well, I'm not broke anymore, but I still have nowhere near enough to buy this OR pay if you sue me...

**Born of War**

**Chapter 15: Inhumanity.**

_"That is who we are, Godaime-sama. We are Tao'karr." At the stress on the 'We', both Tsunade and Kakashi's heads whipped round to stare at Naruto._

_As Naruto met their stares, they could clearly see a Tao'karr's age in his defiant eyes._

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All was silent in the Godaime's office. Naruto and Loki were in the hospital with the rest of the injured. Godaime gazed absently at her paper-covered desk, oblivious of the crowd gathered around.

"Um...G-Godaime-sama?" A timid voice stuttered from the crowd. Tsunade looked up at the group of Konoha-nin she had summoned. What remained of the Rookie nine and their compatriots and co-conspiritors. There was a knock and Shizune nudged her head around the door.

"Tsunade-sama? The Kazekage is here." Tsunade nodded to Gaara, Kankuro and Temari as they entered.

"Now that everyone is here I have an announcement to make." She took a deep breath and was about to speak when a voice interrupted her.

"Do you know what that large chakra burst was earlier? Was it important enough for me to abandon my mission?" Neji pushed his way to the front, frowning. Tsunade turned to him and opened her mouth, and was once more interrupted.

"The Sand is in a precarious position at the moment, Godaime-sama. I hope you appreciate what Gaara-kun is risking, leaving at a time like this-" Temari was interrupted in her rant by yet more voices, and the noise escalated until Tsunade could bear it no longer.

"NARUTO!!"

The room fell silent and they all stared at her in incomprehension.

"That explosion of chakra you must all have felt was Naruto. He's...he's come...home." The word sounded alien on her tongue.

The room descended into chaos, and it was a few minutes before Tsunade could sufficiently calm everyone so that she could speak. "He's different now." She explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "You all have a new mission. This is a high-priority, A-rank mission. I assume you all went through the mission briefs you were given?" The room nodded in consensus. "That woman, Loki. It is your mission to rid Naruto of that monster, and keep Naruto safe. Now-" She stopped abruptly as Gaara whirled around and swept out. "Kazekage-sama?"

"Monster." replied Gaara, not even pausing, not even condescending to spare her a parting glance. The room was silent in his wake. Temari and Kankuro shrugged at Tsunade and followed their brother, shutting the door softly behind them.

Kakashi glanced at Iruka, noting a face hardened in resolve to protect his surrogate son. He sighed inwardly. _We don't even know whether she's causng him any harm. People are so close-minded. _

_Tell me 'bout it._

Kakashi started imperceptably at the honeyed voice he could feel grinning in his head. _What are you doing in my head. Wait-_Who_ are you?_

_Cantcha tell? Y'saw me in action earlier t'day, hun. Well, m'host anyway-an' ye, I _know _she has beautiful skin, but yo' creepin' me out._

Kakashi's eyes widened slightly at his own subconcious thoughts. _Kakashi? Y'in the land o' de livin'? Kakashi? _"Kakashi?"

He focused on the room to find that he was alone, the meeting having ended a few minutes before. Tsunade looked at him worriedly.

"Are you okay, Kakashi? You did go to see a medic-nin before you came, didn't you?" Kakashi nodded vaguely before making a hasty excuse and disappearing.

Outside, he braced himself against the wall, the cool stone doing wonders for his developing headache.

_Are you trying to tell me that you're Loki's demon? Like Naruto's fox?_

"Ooh, cookie fo' de clever boy, ey?" Said Loki as she pushed herself off of the wall of a nearby alley. He could tell just by looking that she'd pulled a prison break on the hospital. Despite her quirky, mischeivous smile, he could see dark circles beneath her eyes and a wan look to her face.

"Loki? Are you really supposed to be-" Without warning, Loki closed in and gave him a gentle and yet brutal kiss. She pulled away slowly and gave him a wry look.

"Sometin' ta t'ink 'bout." she said, her accent strong and dusky. His shell-shocked eyes never left her as she sauntered towards the main street.

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R&R,

_Vesuvio_


	17. Chapter 17

**Title:** Born of War

**Anime: **Naruto

**Pairings: **SasuNaru, SakuOC, KakaOC, **GaaraOC.**

**Author: **Vesuvio

**Disclaimer:**

**Born of War**

**Chapter 16: Original Gankstas.**

_"Loki? Are you really supposed to be-" Without warning, Loki closed in and gave him a gentle and yet brutal kiss. She pulled away slowly and gave him a wry look._

_"Sometin' ta t'ink 'bout." she said, her accent strong and dusky. His shell-shocked eyes never left her as she sauntered towards the main street._

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Loki wandered in to the Waypoint, noting the slightly predatory looks some were giving her. She sighed and threw herself down beside Naruto. "Scotch, please. Straight up."

"I know what you did last summer..." said Naruto in a sarcastically creepy voice. Loki raised an eyebrow. "Y'do know, Kakashi's probably havin' a Moment of Inner Turmoil right about now?" Loki grinned.

"I t'ought only your boy-toy had those." Naruto snorted into his drink. "And where is de blue haired terror, anyway? Ain't seen him since befo' the battle." Naruto sighed and looked down slightly, though his face never conceded much emotion.

"He's gone." Loki's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to rant. "I asked Tsunade-baa-chan. He requested a mission. To a different country." Loki sighed and wrapped a sinewy arm around the taller man's shoulders.

"It's pro'ly safe to assume dat he knows it's you, den. Don' worry, he's pro'ly just gone ta get 'is head straight, ey?" Naruto smiled faintly at her.

"Ey." Loki's face then turned serious.

"There's something else I need to tell you. And before I tell you, y'must promise not to go and massacre de council o' elders, ey?"

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"You didn't have to cave to their pressure, Godaime." Kakashi's face betrayed no emotion. "Now our relationship with Sand is unstable. Even I almost thought you believed what you said in there." Tsunade sighed heavily, shoulders drooping.

"I think probably, to some extent I do. That's why I did what they told me to. I just don't want to believe that this is him - he's so...violent." She looked out the window. "Konoha's residents are just not ready to deal with such a different and extreme culture." Kakashi sighed inwardly.

"You underestimate them, Tsunade-sama."

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Sasuke stood at what was left of the main gate in awe, and more importantly, horror. He strode up to the ANBU that was guarding it. "What the hell happened?" He barked. The ANBU turned to face him.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun. I'm afraid it was Orochimaru. The village is okay." He said hurriedly, as Sasuke made to lunge forward. "That yellowed haired friend of yours and the girl beat him into a bloody pulp. He's fine, I'm not sure about the girl, though." Sasuke gaped internally.

_N-Naruto beat up Orochimaru. NARUTO BEAT UP OROCHIMARU. _There was a familiar twinge of jealousy at the fox-ninja's prowess, but Sasuke ruthlessly subdued it. _No. Not again._

"Wha'de fuck you mean, y'can't let me in? Ma' friend is hurt, y'saluka nyi mo bedah ah..."

Sasuke and the ANBU turned to the direction the voice was coming from. On the other side of the gate, the ANBU's partner was trying to reason with the owner of the voice. A tall, elegant looking man, with wild, red-brown hair and eyes, boots and a duster to match was muttering in an exotic, almost sensual language under his breath. Though he didn't recognise the language, Sasuke knew swearing when he heard it.

"N'Remy, how'dya t'ink he'd do dat? Ol' Mama Fuko is dead ten year', ey? Mind y'language, m'syi da." Sasuke watched the stranger's eyes light up as Naruto's friend strolled out of the gate.

"Lokorr! A'sayad iara fi myon dakel na, i'ey!" Loki grinned and laughed as he ran over to her, taking her in his arms and spinning the diminutive woman about.

"Lokorr'ad meny'a bod'vak ienle boros'ilde, m'syi da. Ey, Lokorr'vay da?" Sasuke froze as the dulcet tones rolled across the dusty road and straight down his spine to his stomach, where they began to send frantic message to his heart. Standing just behind the white-haired terror was the sunny object of his affections, in all his toned glory. Sasuke could positively _feel_ his larynx attempting to weave a blanket with the help of his vocal chords. Inner Sasuke sighed. _See? This is why you ran away. Stop fighting - you're never gonna get anything done if you keep on losing it every time you come face to face with his studliness over there._

_He's right, y'know, hun. Just admit y'wanna shag him senseless - everyone else does._ Sasuke felt a surge of over-protectiveness.

"Shut the fuck up! What would you know, anyway?! You're just a stupid _voice_!" Sasuke clamped his mouth shut when he realised almost everyone was looking at him. Gathering as much dignity as he had left, he walked away at a controlled pace - however, those with a trained eye could see the slight flush on his cheeks and the slight tremor of his hands. In his state, he almost missed the curious fact that, at the mention of voices, instead of looking at him, Naruto and the stranger had looked at Loki.

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Gaara strode towards the gate, seething internally, his siblings stumbling to keep up with his extreme pace. They didn't question him - Gaara had been deeply affected by Naruto's disappearance and _especially_ by the bloody message left behind, so his reaction was inevitable. And, in their personal opinion, not unjustified. Both embroiled in their own thoughts, they nearly ran into the back of their brother when he stopped, still, silent, and by the look on his normally unemotional face, in awe.

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Gaara strode towards the gate, seething internally, not caring whether Temari or Kankuro kept up with him. How dare she. _Monster? The silly slug woman should have known that would have been insulting to him as well as Naruto. It was too similar to the behaviour that Tsunade had sworn to stop in the village_. As he rounded the corner to the main gate he stopped dead. He was captivated.

His eyes followed the elegant, no, perfect figure as the stranger raved at the ANBU, hands flying and eyes wild. He watched in awe as the man laughed and smiled gently when reunited with Naruto and Loki. All that was left of the Tanuki's power within him shriveled at the strange tightening of his chest that accompanied the fluctuation in his heart beat.

Eyes wide in shock, Temari and Kankuro watched as their little brother's face gained a slight rosy tinge. _Oh dear sweet lord no..._they thought in unison.

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R&R,

_Vesuvio._


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